The Serpent and the Rose
by theslytherinrose
Summary: After years of delays, complications, and emotional turmoil, Lucius Malfoy has decided that he's tired of waiting: he's ready to marry Narcissa Black. [M for later chapters.]
1. A Long-Overdue Proposal

**A/N: While taking requests for oneshots, I received one from lucissaa, who asked for Lucius and Narcissa's wedding. While planning this out, I realized it was something I wanted to devote more than one chapter to. So, this begins with the proposal and will cover the wedding and, as long as I don't chicken out before I get there, will include some smut, hence the M rating. This follows the same canon as _Light in Oblivion_ and _Trouble Is_ (essentially everything I write, but those are the ones that mention miscarriages/stillbirths, which this will touch on. One is mentioned in this chapter, to warn you now). This is my interpretation of Lucius and Narcissa's romance, and I'm both excited and anxious to hear what you guys think, so please don't hesitate to let me know. I view Lucius as concealing his emotions to most people but having a romantic side that only comes out around Narcissa.  
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Chapter One

A Long-Overdue Proposal

Lucius had waited far too long for this evening not to make sure every detail was completely and utterly perfect. Therefore, as he led Narcissa out Malfoy Manor's large, arching rear doors and onto the path toward the gardens, he found himself fighting hard against a level of anxiety to which he was completely accustomed. Of the two of them, the woman at his side, who held tightly to his arm with both of her hands and smiled brightly as she glanced over the lush and meticulously-tended grounds that were bathed in the fading light of a Wiltshire dusk, was the one most prone to fretting. Lucius knew that being raised in an environment in which her parents were unnecessarily cold and sought to control her every move had instilled this habit in Narcissa, and he didn't mind in the least talking her through her worries and easing her mind. He, on the other hand, rarely found cause to fear, except where she was concerned. He'd practiced enough curses to know well how to defend himself, and he could certainly hold his own in any duel, but with one look, he could be completely disarmed by this petite blond woman with the lovely blue eyes and the smile that made his knees feel weak.

She was his primary focus, where the war was concerned. He'd joined the Dark Lord's ranks for his own reasons, yes, but the deeper his feelings had become for Narcissa, the more he dwelled on making sure she was safe and happy, no matter what that required. In Lucius's mind, that meant making sure his family—and Purebloods at large—never lost their place in the societal order and that the Muggles whose noses should've stayed out of magical business remained out of the way. After all, if they were to have a family…

 _One thing at a time,_ he reminded himself.

Still, he'd thought of children more often than he'd dared to admit to her, particularly after the pregnancy several months earlier that had been unplanned and had ended tragically with the loss of the baby, whom Narcissa had called Alcyone, in the Black tradition of naming children after stars. Lucius wasn't certain he would ever understand the level of loyalty Narcissa felt to a family that had done nothing but restrict and belittle her. Due to the current political climate and the level of service the Dark Lord had required of Lucius, despite the fact that he'd wanted to ask for Narcissa's hand—again, after a disquieting series of events that had led to the ending of the engagement into which they'd entered shortly after Hogwarts—much earlier, his father had strongly encouraged him to wait until things settled down, and Lucius had grudgingly admitted that Abraxas was probably correct. This hadn't stopped him from seeing Narcissa with each chance that presented itself, whether in secret or in the open, where they had been forced to pretend to be approaching their relationship in the proper Pureblood way and not like two young people who had fallen hopelessly in love at an early age and were waiting for the right moment to make that love official and legally binding.

When Narcissa had become pregnant, she had panicked. Members of her family had been disowned for far less, and as she'd waited for the right moment to tell her parents—a moment that never came—she'd devised a plan by which to hide the development from them. This involved the excuse of staying with the Malfoys to tutor Lucius's younger sister Lara in French and in the healing magic Narcissa had taken it upon herself to learn due to Lucius's dangerous role with the Death Eaters. She'd stayed out of the public eye when her physical change had become apparent, and then when Alcyone had been stillborn before eight months had passed, Narcissa had blamed illness for her delay in returning home, despite the fact that Lara had since married and left the Manor. Now, Narcissa visited often, but it wasn't the same as it had been when Lucius had been able to return to her after the terrible things he saw and took part in for the Dark Lord and when he'd been able to wake beside her.

He was done waiting. He wanted to return to life with her and do so in the open, without the need for secrecy. He was ready for things to become official.

Now, he needed only find the proper words to tell her as much.

He led her into the rose garden, which was currently in full bloom and overflowing with the pale blooms that he had ordered planted for her. ' _You're like a white rose_ ,' he'd told her once years before, ' _growing out of the weeds around you, untouched by the darkness that makes them human. I'm just one of the weeds. One who's lucky enough to say he's close enough to be touched by your light_.' He'd meant every word, and as sparingly as he revealed his emotions and such personal thoughts as these to anyone, he'd never regretted admitting this to her. She'd been so touched she'd begun to weep, and he'd since adopted the flower as a nickname for her that he'd never explained to anyone else.

No one else's opinion really mattered to him, anyway.

"You're awfully quiet."

Lucius glanced to his right to find Narcissa watching him. She gave his arm a squeeze.

"Just… thinking, that's all," he said.

"Is everything all right?"

"Everything's perfect." He paused on the path when he reached the small courtyard at the center of the garden, turning to face her. When his foot touched a particular steppingstone he'd enchanted earlier, the air—previously filled only with the ambient chirp of insects and the whispering of the wind—swelled to life with slow, melodic music.

Narcissa glanced around, her eyes widening as she searched for the source of the sound. Lucius chuckled under his breath, nodding toward the peacocks picking their way along the grass outside the garden. Normally, the birds' sounds were atrocious and loud, but Lucius had managed to locate a spell that turned their cries into a song, if only temporarily. He held out his hand.

"May I have this dance?"

Narcissa smiled, taking Lucius's hand as a light blush began to tint her cheeks. "You're incredible. Have I mentioned that?"

"A few times, I think, but I do appreciate it." He grinned, drawing her close and resting his free hand on her waist as she laid hers on his shoulder. He leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "I'm not half as incredible as you, though."

She shook her head in what he believed looked like embarrassment, and as he began to move and guide her steps in time with the birdsong, she watched him with an adoration of which he didn't believe himself worthy. For several minutes, they danced in silence, listening to the melody as they moved gradually closer and needing nothing else to express what they felt. Eventually, though, Lucius's anxiety grew too strong to repress any longer, and he knew he needed to say something quickly before he could convince himself to delay the question further.

"Things are changing, you know," he said quietly, the words muttered against Narcissa's hair as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. "Out there. I can't imagine the fighting will last too much longer, and then it will all settle down."

"That would be lovely." She sighed, giving his hand a squeeze. "You won't have to be in danger all the time."

Guilt twisted his stomach, and he found himself wishing he'd chosen a different way to approach the topic. He hoped his assessment of the war's state was accurate, but he had no way of knowing for sure, and he hated the idea that he might have given her a false sense of hope for his safety.

"Let's hope not," he said after a moment's pause. "But that's not what I brought you out here to discuss."

"I didn't imagine it was." She laughed softly, lifting her head to meet his eyes. "I'm just hoping it's good news and that you're not trying to warm me up for something dreadful."

"I wouldn't do that to you." He inhaled deeply and let out the breath, his feet gradually slowing down as his focus was drawn from the dancing and to the phrasing of his next words. "Since things are—hopefully—going to become more peaceful soon, I've decided not to wait any longer to speak with you about something I've wanted for a very long time."

He watched her as her steps slowed down to match the pace of his own. Her blond brows lifted in what looked like curiosity, but she appeared to be trying hard not to give away what she was feeling, otherwise, as the rest of her face remained neutral.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You." Though the song continued around where they stood, Lucius stopped dancing, grudgingly releasing Narcissa's waist to reach into his pocket and retrieve a small, white box. He then knelt on the stones, taking her hand in his. "Father wanted me to wait until after the war ended, but I'm through waiting. I'm through watching you go back to people you loathe when you have to leave me and pretending not to want to do much more than give you a quick kiss for the sake of propriety. I want to be with you always—to fall asleep each night by your side and see your face when I wake." He hadn't been able to find the words, at first, but now he couldn't stop them from flowing forth as his heart pounded loudly enough that he was certain she heard it. He opened the box and removed from it a ring of white gold, inlaid with diamonds that sparkled in the light of the sunset. "Narcissa Black," he said as he slipped the ring onto her finger, "would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

She stared at him, tears shining in her eyes, for what must have been a moment but felt to him like years. Then, as the moisture began to leak down her cheeks, she pulled his hands upward, nodding furiously. He stood.

"Yes. Oh, yes!" she said, throwing her arms around his neck and leaning forward to meet his lips. He smiled into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her tightly as the tightness that had formed in his chest began to ebb away. After a few moments, she pulled back just enough to speak. "I love you so much, Lucius. There's nothing I want more than to be with you always."

"I love you," he said, lifting a hand to run his fingers through her long hair. "And nothing would make me happier."

He held her close as the sun sank slowly over the horizon, their feet beginning to move again in time with the music. Like the light, Lucius knew the enchantment would fade eventually, but he didn't care. Even after the birds returned to normal, his world would still be exponentially better, after tonight.


	2. A Formal Announcement

Chapter Two

A Formal Announcement

Narcissa couldn't rid herself of the butterflies surging through her stomach as she sat beside her mother on the carriage-ride to Malfoy Manor. She found herself often shifting in her seat impatiently, craning her neck for a glimpse out the windows to determine exactly how far the carriage had traveled. It wasn't a terribly long ride from the Blacks' home outside Wilton to the Manor, located not far from Salisbury, but as Narcissa had become accustomed to Apparating or using the Floo Network when she visited Lucius, she found her family's insistence on taking the slower, more formal route highly tedious.

"Mother, there's something I need to tell you."

"Not now, Narcissa. I'm trying to listen," said Druella quietly, her face set in a frown. She nodded across the carriage to where Cygnus sat with Bellatrix, who was gesturing with her hands as she discussed something Narcissa had been too distracted by her own excitement and nervousness to pay attention to previously. Her sister's tone was hushed—it was clear that Bellatrix had no desire to be overheard, despite her mother's prying—but Narcissa managed to pick out a few words here and there.

" _Five dead._ " " _Cruciatus._ " "… _worse than you said…_ " " _The Dark Lord._ "

Narcissa sighed lightly and looked out into the night once more. She'd tried several times, now, to tell her parents about Lucius's proposal. Each time, she'd been ignored or interrupted, and she had finally withstood enough of their treatment of her not to bother making further effort. She'd wanted to inform them before the public announcement planned for that evening, but if Druella and Cygnus had decided to be as difficult as they had been every day for the last twenty-one years of Narcissa's life, then she felt no remorse at the idea of letting them be surprised.

When the carriage at last came to a halt, Narcissa was indescribably relieved. She would've enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with Bellatrix, had their parents not been present, as well. Since Bellatrix's marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange and her departure from their family's home, Narcissa had seen her eldest sister considerably less than she would've liked. Bellatrix's time was increasingly consumed by her activities for the Dark Lord, which left little room for Narcissa. Narcissa knew Rodolphus, too, would be in attendance, this evening, though he had elected to arrive separately.

She climbed out of the carriage without a backward glance at her family and made her way up the front steps, lifting her skirts carefully to avoid stepping on them and nodding thanks to the servants who opened the doors to allow her entrance. Narcissa made her way into the ballroom, where she was greeted by choruses of laughter and conversation and the swirl of many a multicolored gown as Pureblood society's elite moved over the dance floor. She caught sight of several of her school friends among the crowd as well as the parents of those friends, and she felt a number of eyes pressing in on her as she stepped farther into the room.

These people were always watching. Always appraising, always judging.

Narcissa smiled and strode gracefully forward as a man standing near the doors announced her entrance to the room at large. At the sound of her name, Lucius looked toward her from where he stood speaking with Walden Macnair and Ryan Nott, and a warm smile immediately slid onto his lips. He muttered something to the other two men and started across the floor toward her, and she couldn't keep herself from staring at him. He was always incredibly handsome, but she particularly loved the way he looked in suits, such as the one he wore now. He held out his hand when he reached her, and she met it with her own, which he brought to his lips.

"You look beautiful," he said.

Her smile widened. She glanced down at her dress—the bodice was black and tightly-fitted, and the skirt that spilled in waves over the floor was a grey she'd chosen because of its resemblance to Lucius's eyes—and back to him.

"Thank you. You look very dashing, yourself."

Lucius smirked. "Why thank you, Miss Black. Would you care to dance?"

"I'd love to," said Narcissa. She followed him to an open space among several other couples and ignored the knowledge that her family had now entered the room, her parents watching her closely along with many a nosy bystander. Lucius took her waist and hand and began to guide her over the floor as a small orchestra played near the room's back wall, and after a moment, Narcissa spoke again. "This is quite a bit different than our last dance."

Lucius laughed quietly, and Narcissa thought for what must've been the thousandth time of how much she loved seeing him smile. She'd seen him worry and rage and brood, but happiness complimented his handsome features in a way that made her melt.

"I could kick them all out, you know," he said. "Father might murder me, as it's technically his ball, but if you'd rather dance in private—"

Narcissa laughed, shaking her head. "I don't think I want to risk making your father angry. We'll already have mine to deal with, and the gods only know how badly that's going to go."

Lucius spun Narcissa outward in time with the music, and she glanced over the faces surrounding them. She spotted her old dorm mate Rosalyn, who'd recently become Mrs. Crabbe, and Bellatrix, who had located Rodolphus and was speaking to him behind her hand. A moment later, she was facing Lucius again, her hand returning to his shoulder as he drew her slightly closer with his brow raised.

"You didn't tell him?"

"Getting a word in at home isn't the easiest of tasks," said Narcissa. "I did try." She had wanted her parents to be warned before arriving tonight, if only because they both detested feeling anything less than the epitome of Pureblood societal knowledge and loathed any effort their youngest daughter made to steer her life without their interference. She couldn't imagine how they were going to take the news, if they found out along with everyone else currently filling the ballroom.

"Do you want me to wait to make the announcement?" asked Lucius. He made no attempt to conceal his concern as he watched Narcissa closely. "If you would rather tell them before letting everyone else know, I don't have to say anything, tonight."

"No. It's not like it will become any easier to talk to my parents, so let's just get it out in the open while we can, all right?" She leaned up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and then glanced over her shoulder on instinct, wondering whether anyone had seen her lapse in propriety. She mentally shook herself and returned her focus to him. "I want everyone to know that I'm yours. And you're mine."

He twirled her around gracefully once more and smiled as he brought her close again. "Always," he said.

The music ended, and Lucius and Narcissa glided to a halt. He inhaled deeply and clapped along with the rest of the ballroom's occupants, and she followed suit until he took her hand again.

"Are you ready?"

Narcissa nodded. _Ready as I'll ever be_ , she thought, her stomach filling with butterflies once more.

"May I have your attention for a moment, please?" Lucius called over the applause. Steadily, the noise began to die down, and the partygoers shifted their attention to him. Narcissa did her best to keep her breathing even and refrain from blushing. "First of all, I would like to thank you for attending this evening, on behalf of the Malfoy family. I'm certain my father will wish to thank you again for it, later. But I wanted to take this opportunity to make an announcement." Lucius reached into his pocket, and when he removed his hand, Narcissa recognized the gleam of the gorgeous ring he'd given her in the garden. She'd asked him to hold on to it until they'd made their engagement public, for the sake of saving face with her parents, and her heart missed a beat at the idea of wearing it again. "Miss Narcissa Black," Lucius went on, slipping the ring onto Narcissa's finger, "has agreed to marry me."

The applause the crowd had given for the orchestra paled in comparison to that which followed these words. Narcissa scanned the assembly to find nods of approval, smiles of encouragement, and a few sneers she disregarded as jealousy from former classmates. Walden and Ryan were clapping loudly beside the refreshment table, and even Bellatrix smiled as she met her sister's gaze, though the expression looked strained.

 _At least she's trying_ , thought Narcissa.

Her parents clapped, as well, though Druella's face was blank and Cygnus's suggested his displeasure at being caught off-guard by the announcement. As Narcissa returned her focus to Lucius, however, she realized she no longer cared what anyone else thought. He was watching her with a smile as though she were the only one in the room, and as she looked at him, she understood that he was the only one whose opinion truly mattered to her.


	3. A Few Reasonable Worries

Chapter Three

A Few Reasonable Worries

Lucius found himself grateful once again for his father's job at the Ministry. Over the years, Abraxas's position had helped Lucius to forge connections with other people who either held power or would one day inherit it, and tonight, while the elder Malfoy was off attending a Ministry ball with Lucius's mother, Abraxas's obligations had given Lucius the opportunity to spend time alone with his bride-to-be. He lay with Narcissa on the chaise closest to the fireplace in the lounge, his chest to her back and his face nestled in her hair.

In a few days' time, they would be married at last. They would finally be free to spend as much time together as they pleased without the fear of judgment from the Pureblood community. Lucius knew he and Narcissa were expected to enter the same type of loveless, duty-driven marriage that was so common in the families they'd grown up in and around, but that image was as far from the truth as he could imagine. He knew the majority of the heads of the Sacred Twenty-Eight families would've strongly disapproved of a relationship built on passion and genuine understanding, but their opinions didn't faze him. He knew the life he wanted, and he didn't intend to let anything stand in the way of his achieving it. That life began with marrying Narcissa.

"You're awfully quiet," he said, tracing her arm with his fingertips.

"I'm just thinking." She reached up to take his hand, lacing her fingers through his and resting their joined hands on the chaise in front of her. "It's going to be incredibly nice to be able to stay here with you. Not to go back to them."

He knew exactly what she meant without further explanation. He detested that she had to return to her parents each time she left him. It would only happen a few more times, however, and then she would never have to see them again, if that was what she wanted. If she told him she desired this, he would make certain that Cygnus and Druella stayed far away from their youngest daughter. They'd harmed Narcissa too much already, and Lucius didn't intend to allow it to continue under any circumstance.

"You never have to go back," he said, kissing her hair. "If you like, you can just stay here starting now, and we'll tell them to deal with it."

Narcissa lifted their clasped hands and brought Lucius's fingers to her lips. "I want to, love. I really do. And thank you."

"But…?"

"But I'm not prepared to let them ruin our wedding by stirring up trouble, which they would do if I chose now to start standing up for myself."

Lucius sighed, and when Narcissa shivered, he supposed his breath must've tickled her neck. "Sorry." She shook her head, and he went on. "It shouldn't be a struggle to stand up for yourself to the people who are supposed to care about you. I absolutely hate how they've—"

"Darling, please. Let's not waste our time talking about them. All right?"

There was a slight strain in her voice, and he closed his eyes momentarily, cursing the people who'd caused her pain.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked softly.

She rolled over beneath his arm, turning to face him. "What are we going to do, after I'm officially moved in?" A smile crept onto her face. He reached out to run his hand along her side slowly.

"Personally," he said, leaning toward her, "I'd like to spend quite a bit of our time here. Together." He brought his mouth to hers, his lips just barely brushing the red lipstick he so loved to see her wear. "In our room."

"I'd like that very much."

She leaned forward to kiss him deeply, and he smiled against her lips, his hand squeezing her waist and drawing her closer. For several long, blissful moments, Lucius forgot everything apart from Narcissa. When she eventually pulled back, she rested her forehead against his, reaching for his hand once again.

"What about you?" Lucius asked quietly. "What do you want to do?"

"I want us to start a family," she breathed. "I… I want us to be able to."

He watched her for a long moment, uncertain of exactly how to put into words the thoughts swirling through his mind. He wanted that, too. He couldn't think of any future that sounded more appealing than starting a family with Narcissa—raising children with her. She would, Lucius knew, be an incredible mother. She was the most caring person he'd ever known, and he'd experienced firsthand the fierceness of her devotion. He only hoped he would be able to reach her level, when it came to parenting. Lucius wanted children, and he would fight to give them every opportunity in the world, as he'd vowed to himself long ago. However, though he didn't plan to admit this to Narcissa—at least not yet—he was uncertain of whether he would be able to consider himself a decent father. How could he be, when he would be such a bad influence on an impressionable mind? Would he be able to keep a child from finding out what he'd done for the Dark Lord? Would he want to?

None of this was, he knew, what Narcissa meant. She wasn't worried about the logistics and morality of raising a child so much as the physical challenge of bearing one.

"We will." He leaned close to press a kiss to her forehead. "I promise you."

"How can you promise that?" Her voice cracked, and his heart ached at the sound. He knew she still blamed herself for the loss of Alcyone as well as the miscarriage that had taken place without his knowledge while Narcissa had still been in school. She hadn't opened up to Lucius about that particular heartbreak until after the loss of their daughter, and he'd hated himself for making her endure that pain alone for so long, though he'd rationally known that there was nothing he could've done differently without knowing the truth. He'd suffered indescribably after the death of Alcyone, but he couldn't begin to imagine how Narcissa must've felt after carrying her.

"I can promise it," he said now, "because I won't give up until we do. We'll talk to every healer in Britain, and beyond, if necessary. If there's a problem—an illness of some kind, or something like that—we will find it, and I won't rest until it's healed. If it's just luck trying to make fools of us, then we'll just keep trying. If what you want is for us to raise a family, then I will do anything and everything in my power to make that happen."

She smiled, tears shining in her eyes as she leaned in to kiss him softly. "I love you so much," she said.

"I love you more than anything." Lucius reached up to move a lock of hair from Narcissa's face as he returned her smile.

She watched him silently for another several moments, her thumb tracing the back of his hand, and then she let out a light sigh. "I really, really don't want to do this, but I need to get home before it gets any later. It's already past eleven, so I'll be surprised if someone doesn't make a scene."

"If they do, come and get me." He kissed her cheek and sat up, and she followed suit, stretching as she moved.

"Mhm." She started to stand, and he leaned forward to steal one more kiss before she did so. Narcissa smiled and reached for the bag she'd left beside the chaise. "It's almost over," she said, and he wondered whether she was truly speaking to him or to herself, as far as her parents were concerned.

"It is." Lucius caught her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You won't have to go back to the Blacks, because you'll be a Malfoy."

Narcissa's smile widened. "That will be the thought that gets me through the next several days."

"I feel exactly the same," he said, starting to grin.


	4. A Welcome Departure

Chapter Four

A Welcome Departure

As she surveyed the room she'd occupied for the entirety of her twenty-two years of life, Narcissa found that she was not sorry at all to be leaving it behind her. She would miss the windowsill where she'd often sat reading and listening to the rain and the fireplace by which she'd found comfort on many a cold evening, but she knew she had these things to look forward to and more where she was going. There, at least, she could have the comforts without the negative connotations of their attachment to her parent's home.

She shifted the last of her dresser's contents—her hairbrush and a bottle of perfume Lucius had given her for her last birthday—into the bag that lay open on her bed.

"Never again," she muttered, pushing away thoughts of the countless nights she'd spent hiding beneath the bedclothes in front of her to avoid the wrath of her parents.

She recalled clearly how their already-restrictive methods had become even more severe upon Andromeda's departure, as though they'd feared Narcissa would follow in her sister's footsteps and disgrace their name. She'd learnt long before not to step out of line even slightly in front of Cygnus and Druella. When the accidental breaking of a plate could lead to several seconds under the pain of the Cruciatus Curse, Narcissa had known it was best to keep to herself and touch as little as possible, as much as she'd hated living this way within her own home.

"Never again."

She glanced into the mirror adjoined to the pale wooden vanity and found herself thankful that she bore no marks to tell the stories of what she'd endured. Handprints on her face had long-since faded, and the Unforgivable Curse her father favored had never left marks.

In the glass, she caught sight of Lucius's reflection as he moved into the room and paused behind her, wrapping his arms gently around her waist and leaning down to press a kiss to her neck. Narcissa smiled.

"Do you need any help getting ready?" Lucius breathed against her skin.

"I think I'm finished. I'll just be glad to be away from here."

"Personally, I can't wait for you to make the Manor your home. Officially, I mean. No one will be allowed over unless you feel like seeing them."

Narcissa turned in Lucius's embrace to face him, stretching up to meet his lips softly as she rested her hand against his cheek. "Thank you," she breathed when she pulled back just enough to speak. "I hope you know that for quite a while, I really don't want to see anyone other than you."

She felt his smile against her lips as he guided her a few steps backward until she reached the edge of the dresser. "I feel exactly the same way," he said.

Lucius laid his hand against her waist and gave it a light squeeze as he closed the small distance between their lips to kiss her once more, his other hand resting on the small of her back and pulling her closer. Narcissa wound her arms around his shoulders, pressing herself flush against him. She felt his heart beating through the layers of clothing separating them, and the sensation led her own pulse to race as her thoughts were consumed by the delicious feeling of his mouth pressed to hers.

"A bit early to be practicing impropriety, isn't it?"

Tension shot through Narcissa like a bolt of lightning, and she pulled back at the sound of her mother's voice from the doorway, her cheeks burning uncomfortably. Though her first instinct was to move away from Lucius as quickly as possible while her mother was observing them, he kept his arms around her, his expression neutral as he looked to Druella.

"Technically, Lady Black," he said, his voice flat, "while we're within Narcissa's bedroom, a kiss between two people to be wed before the day ends can hardly be considered improper."

Druella's eyes narrowed, one of her blond brows lifting in what looked like a challenge to further protest what she considered improper in her own home. Narcissa gave Lucius's shoulder a squeeze, hoping to convey a silent request not to provoke her mother further.

"We were just preparing to leave," she said.

"I hope not without joining your father and myself for tea, first," said Druella, the corners of her lips twitching upward as her eyes met her daughter's. "We've already had it prepared, and I'd hate for the elf to have gone to such trouble for nothing."

Narcissa sighed under her breath. She knew her mother couldn't have cared less about whatever effort the elf had put into making the tea; as poor of a mother as she was, Druella was crueler by far to her servant than to her children. Narcissa knew her mother's words were designed to guilt her into staying longer, and with the thought in mind that this would be the final time she allowed herself to do so, she agreed.

Narcissa felt Lucius shift beside her, and his fingers slipped through hers as he gave her hand a squeeze. She found the gesture highly reassuring—as long as he was beside her, she believed she could handle whatever her parents decided to do.

Druella turned on her heel and started down the corridor, and Lucius pulled Narcissa's travel bag onto his shoulder before leaning close to press a kiss to her cheek.

"We won't stay long," he said. "We've a long day ahead of us, and I don't want to waste more time on them than necessary."

Narcissa nodded. "It will be a good day, my love. We won't let them interfere."

"Not at all."

Narcissa slid close to Lucius as they left her bedroom behind and followed her mother through the corridors and to the drawing room. When they arrived, Cygnus was seated in a high-backed red armchair, his fingers tapping against his knee.

"Lucius. Narcissa." As he addressed each of them, Cygnus's gaze shifted from one to the other, and Narcissa sighed internally at being the second person noticed by her father even on her final morning in his home. Cygnus then looked to Druella, who was settling into the armchair adjacent to his own. "It seems the time has come at last. All of our children will have left us. Please, sit," he added, inclining his head to Lucius, who guided Narcissa to the chaise. The two of them sat, and Narcissa slid close as Lucius wrapped an arm around her waist.

"It's overdue," said Druella with a sigh. "You aren't old yet, Narcissa, but I'm unsure whether it's wise to wait so long to begin having children."

Narcissa said nothing. She focused her attention on the elf, who had scurried into the room carrying a tea tray. The elf paused in front of each person, allowing them to take their cups and filling them before bowing deeply and departing once again. Narcissa clasped her teacup between her palms and stared down into the liquid's ripples, wondering what shade her mother would turn if she knew the youngest Black sister had already been pregnant.

"We'll have plenty of time," said Lucius. "When we've decided we're ready to start a family, we'll be certain to inform you." His tone was dry, and Narcissa knew he was telling her parents only what they desired to hear. She and Lucius had already discussed maintaining as little contact with her parents as was possible after she'd left their home for the final time, and neither of them believed it was necessary to make special effort to tell the Blacks if they did find themselves expecting again. Cygnus and Druella would find out eventually, whether they heard it directly from their daughter or not.

 _It's all they think I'm good for,_ Narcissa thought bitterly, taking a sip from her teacup to focus on something other than her parents. _Create a decent political alliance with marriage: check. Provide an heir: next on the list._ Lucius must've sensed her discomfort, as his arm tightened around her, setting his drink down on the table in front of where they sat.

"I hate to make light of your hospitality, Lord and Lady Black," he said, "but really, we must be going. We have far too many preparations to make for this evening to put ourselves behind schedule."

Lucius stood and held out his hand to Narcissa, who blinked and shifted to her feet, taking his hand before glancing to her parents.

"We'll see you at the ceremony," she said.

Druella nodded stiffly, and Cygnus eyed his daughter over the rim of his teacup.

"Indeed you shall," he said.

Narcissa felt Lucius give her hand a light squeeze, and they made their way from the room and through the corridors that led them eventually out of the house's front doors and into the sunlight. As they started down the path, Lucius's arm shifted once again to encircle Narcissa's waist and pull her close.

"It's over, my rose," he said quietly. "Forever."

"And now there's just us." With a smile, Narcissa leaned up to meet his lips softly, for the first time not particularly caring whether anyone within the house could see them.


	5. A Broken Tradition

**A/N: In honor of LucissaWeek, as claimed by my LucissaNet on tumblr, there will hopefully be a lot of fic updating. As yesterday, 17 July, is their anniversary in my canon, this one seemed like a good place to start. I want to send a huge shoutout/thank you to** _ **MissusCissaMalfoy**_ **for writing this chapter with me. Hailey, you are freaking awesome. This chapter breaks tradition in itself because I don't typically POV switch this much, but for this particular part, I felt like both sides needed to be told. Happy anniversary, Lucissa. x**

* * *

Chapter Five

A Broken Tradition

Lucius straightened his dress robes in the mirror and took a deep breath. His hair had been combed to perfection, and beyond that; his black dress robes had been charmed so that, whatever he did, they wouldn't look anything other than their best; and his shoes had been shined so well he could see his reflection in them. Narcissa deserved nothing less than perfection.

He turned in a circle in front of the mirror, making sure there was not a hair out of place, before he picked up his champagne pink corsage and pinned it to his lapel. The color was laced into Narcissa's bouquet, draped over the tables at the reception, and lining the aisle that his fiancée would be walking down. Unlike most Pureblood weddings, Lucius and Narcissa had had quite a bit of say in the planning. Lucius wanted their accent color to be such a light pink because it brought out the coloration of Narcissa's cheeks and pout.

It made her look like a goddess.

Narcissa had insisted on the corsages as a tribute to the ones they had worn to the Yule Ball. They had hand-picked the flowers for Narcissa's bouquet together and helped to arrange them. This was _their_ wedding, there was no doubt about that.

However, Lucius was nervous. Not to marry Narcissa, of course not—he had been sure about that since their first kiss—but because it was strictly against Pureblood tradition for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding. Lucius had required it, though. If he cried when he saw her for the first time, in front of their family and friends, he would never live it down. He had to keep up appearances, even if that meant breaking a few rules in the process.

* * *

Narcissa had been poked and prodded all day by far too many people. Her mother had been obsessing over ensuring that she kept herself immaculate and didn't ruin the hard work of the dressmaker, who had sewn the white gown to mold perfectly to her form, or the hairdresser, who had worked so painstakingly to hold back her locks and arrange the flowers into them just so. Narcissa was terrified that she would somehow mess up her appearance and that she would never hear the end of it from Druella, but for the moment, she'd been left alone. She'd told her mother she would be using the time to reflect on the large upcoming shift in her life, and in a manner of speaking, she was.

In truth, she'd asked Seraphina to pass on to Lucius when everyone else had gone so that he could visit. Narcissa stared into the mirror and tried to fight off the blush filling her cheeks at the thought that he was going to be here at any moment, was going to see her like this. She only hoped he'd like it all and that it did justice to the vision they'd been working to bring to life together. She fidgeted with the lace sleeve of her gown and straightened her skirt—as well as she could, at least, when it was so large and flowing.

She adored her dress. The only problem was that she felt as though she was suffocating beneath its weight, but she supposed that was only her nerves.

"Breathe. Breathe. It's going to go splendidly."

She made her way over to the chaise and sat carefully, trying not to pick at her skirt but unable to help herself. Fidgeting when nervous was something she doubted she would be able to escape.

* * *

Lucius had begun to pace, the only way he could let out his nervous energy without ruining the way he looked. He was twisting his fingers, and he looked at the door every few minutes.

Shouldn't his mother have come already? How long did it take to distract Druella? Merlin, how he hated that woman. From what Narcissa had said, Lucius knew that both Druella and Cygnus were absolutely horrible parents. Just the way that Narcissa changed around them made it obvious, and he was so glad to be able to take her away from them.

He could protect her from them.

These thoughts raced through his mind, along with whether something had gone wrong, her parents found out, they'd called the wedding off… Lucius was going mad.

It was another five minutes before the knock on the door sounded, and he practically ran to answer it.

He let out a breath of relief when he saw his mother standing there in her long pink gown, and he smiled.

"You look beautiful, Mother," he said. "Thank you for arranging this." They couldn't have done it without her.

Seraphina's eyes filled with tears as she stared at her son. She stepped forward and embraced him. "Thank you, love. And I'm so happy I could help. You and Narcissa deserve only the best."

Lucius leaned into her warmth and hugged her tightly, careful not to bother her hair or rumple her gown. He knew how hard this must be for her—he didn't want to imagine his future child's wedding, whether it be a son or a daughter. He kissed her cheek.

"Where is she? Is Druella distracted? How long do I have?" He pulled back to look into her eyes, searching them. He needed to see his bride.

Seraphina kissed his cheek in return, and Lucius realized her tears had broken free and had begun to spill down her face. "I'll take you to her room. Druella will be gone for at least another ten minutes. You… You look so handsome, love. You're such a dashing groom."

Lucius smiled again, bashfully. "Thank you, Mother," he repeated, gently wiping her tears away. He had so many other questions, but the only thing present in his mind was the anticipation to see his bride. "Have you seen her? How does she look? Is she beautiful?" Of course, he knew the answer to the last question, but he couldn't keep himself from asking. Taking her arm, he followed her down the hall. "Can you keep her away for longer than ten minutes?"

"Yes, I've seen her, and she's stunning. And I believe I can handle that." Her smile grew mischievous, and Lucius imagined she was pondering the ways to keep Narcissa's mother busy. "Take all the time you need, and I'll see to Druella."

Lucius's heart beat faster and faster the closer they got to his bride's room. When they reached the door, his mother kissed his cheek once again and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"Narcissa will be so happy to see you," she said. "Just find me when you're ready to begin, all right?"

"Bellatrix isn't in there, is she? Is she distracted?"

When she reassured him and left, he took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He put both hands on the doorframe to ground himself, afraid he might have a heart attack when he saw Narcissa. It took him about a minute to gain control over his racing thoughts, and he knocked sharply on the door: once, twice, three times. His heart was beating so quickly and so loudly he thought Narcissa could hear it from inside the room. His hands shook as he waited, wringing them in anticipation. He smoothed his robes down self-consciously.

Lucius could hear her footsteps inside and he took another deep breath, steadying himself in preparation. He could only imagine how she must have looked, and just the image of her in his mind nearly made him faint.

* * *

Narcissa's eyes flicked up to the door, and she could swear her heart stopped. Everyone else was busy—through manufactured tasks designed to keep them away, but nonetheless—and she knew it had to be Lucius.

"Breathe," she reminded herself, but her heart was beating in her throat and she felt she might pass out if she didn't slow her pulse.

She stood from the chaise, gathering her skirt around her to the best of her ability, and made her way toward the door. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment and forced the deepest breath she could into her lungs.

After the span of a heartbeat, she opened her eyes and the door. Her mouth fell open at the sight of him. He'd always been breathtakingly handsome, but now, in his dress robes, he appeared to have walked straight off the pages of one of the novels she so loved to read to pull her onto his horse and ride off into their forever.

"Hello, my love," she breathed, her voice trembling.

* * *

When he set his eyes on her he thought he might die. He had never seen anyone as breathtaking in his entire life, and he knew he never would. No one could surpass Narcissa. The bride he had been picturing could not hold a candle to the one in front of him. There was absolutely no comparison. Immediately tears sprang to his eyes and he covered his mouth, his breath catching in his throat as he stifled a sob. How had he gotten get so lucky? What had he done to deserve this goddess standing in the doorframe?

In that moment, he vowed to himself to worship her every day of the rest of his life, to protect her from any and every threat that might come upon them, and to treasure her above everything.

He only managed to whisper two words. "Oh, Narcissa…"

* * *

Narcissa's heart squeezed as she watched him, and mind-blowing relief crashed over her. Her fears of ruining the dress or her hair were far from her mind—in her thoughts, there was only him. Lucius was everything she wanted and more, the one person she needed by her side as long as she lived. He was the best man she'd ever known, and nothing would make her happier than to be his entirely. The sight of the tears in his eyes drew them to her own, and she screamed at herself not to let them fall. Her mother would positively murder her, but even so, she found she couldn't be worried about anything in the world when Lucius was standing in front of her.

She reached for his hands and pulled him into the room and into her arms. "You're so perfect."

* * *

Lucius was frozen in place until she took his hands and pulled her inside, and even as he let himself be pulled it felt as though his legs would give out at any time. He was so glad they had done this—if the first time he saw her had been during the ceremony, Lucius was sure he would have fallen to his knees. He didn't have makeup to worry about, so he let the tears fall freely.

His voice shook terribly as he said, "You are the most beautiful woman I've met in my entire life." He squeezed her hands tightly and let his head hang between his shoulders, which shook as he held back sobs. "I don't know why you picked me. I don't." He slowly perched on the chaise, pulling her down beside him. "But I am so happy you did." Lucius let go of one of her hands and cupped it around the side of her neck, careful not to disturb her makeup. "You are the love of my life, Narcissa. I can't wait to make you my wife."

* * *

Narcissa tried to hold herself together, but she knew she was trembling. The sight of Lucius breaking down made her heart ache. At his words, she felt her cheeks burn, and she knew she had to be blushing, but she kept her focus on him and worked to ignore her embarrassment. She was immeasurably flattered, and the fact that she knew he meant every word made her feel as though she might combust with the love coursing through her. She leaned close, laying one hand against his chest and trailing the fingers of the other softly through his hair.

"I can't wait to be your wife. Lucius, I picked you because you have the best heart of anyone I've ever known. You are the kindest, sweetest, most handsome man I can imagine, and I can't believe I have the honor of having you as my husband. I must be the luckiest woman alive. You are the only one for me, and I will always, always love you."

* * *

Lucius slowly laid his head on her chest, wanting to be close to her but ever-conscious of her appearance. The last thing he wanted was to cause her more stress by ruining her makeup. He wound his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck, his shoulder still shaking.

"You are so, so beautiful. You are the reason I wake up in the morning," he whispered. "You look like an angel." He placed a tender kiss on the underside of her jaw, trying to show her his affection in any way he could. "We'll be husband and wife in an hour."

"Thank you, my darling," said Narcissa. "You look like a prince who's come to take me away and live happily ever after."

He tightened his arms around her. He couldn't wait until after the reception, when she could take her makeup off and her hair down and he could do with her whatever he pleased, without having to worry about keeping up appearances. Even at this point, he was worried he would have tear streaks on his own face or puffy eyes. He would have to fix that before the ceremony. "This is the best day of my life. I've never been happier than I am right now."

* * *

Narcissa stroked his hair gently. She adored how careful he was being, though honestly, she couldn't wait to be rid of all the clothes and adornments so that she could hold him and kiss him as much as they pleased without worrying about ruining their pictures and incurring Druella's wrath. She held him tightly, her arms wrapped around him and her hands rubbing his back as she listened to his words and felt a tear slip from her eye. She quickly wiped it away, being as careful as she could not to disturb her makeup, and then resumed rubbing his back.

 _In an hour. In just an hour, it will be official, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop us from living the life we want, together. Nothing else will matter._

"Nor have I. It's the best day of my life, as well. I want to remember every single moment of it, because it's the day everyone gets to see that you have my entire heart." She brushed her lips over his hair gently, letting them just barely graze it in an effort to keep from getting any lipstick on him. She wanted to kiss him so badly that it was killing her to hold herself back, and she didn't know how long she could last.

* * *

Narcissa was always so gentle with him, and the way she stroked through his hair made his heart bloom and his nerves calm immediately. However anxious Lucius had been before, it had all melted away at her touch. They were so close; just a few more hours and he could have her all to himself, no one poking and prodding at them to make them perfect, no one intruding on their privacy and telling them what they could and couldn't do together, no one watching their every move so they felt like they had to be civilized and proper and polite. He felt her lips brush against his hair and he smiled against her shoulder. He just wanted to kiss her, to slide his fingers through her hair and cuddle her in their bed. He just wanted to ravish her, make sure the only things coming out of her mouth were cries of his name, and hold her so close they couldn't tell where their own flesh ended and the other's began. He didn't know what he wanted. He just wanted her.

* * *

She was tempted to close her eyes to savor the moment, but she made sure to keep them open. She couldn't miss an instant of watching him like this. She felt his smile against her shoulder, and she continued stroking his hair as she eyed his dress robes.

"I adore the corsage, by the way. I think we chose our flowers very well." She smiled and glanced over to the bouquet resting on the dresser and recalled when they'd picked the flowers together. How had she gotten so lucky as to be with someone who not only listened to her opinion but was willing to plan out and act on the little details with her? She had no idea, but she was unbelievably thankful. "I can't believe it's happening _now._ There's been so much preparation, and… I'm fairly certain I almost fainted, earlier, thinking about it. It's delightful and so nerve-racking. And that's only because everyone's going to be watching us. I'm going to try to tune them out and watch you, and then maybe it won't seem so much like we're on display." She knew she was rambling, but her excitement was bubbling over, now, and she was having difficulty containing herself.

* * *

Lucius looked up at her with a wide grin. "You're such a wonderful woman," he breathed. He loved her excitement, he loved the way she spoke when she was so excited, and he just loved her. So much. "I won't be looking at anyone but you." He swiped a strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "All we need is each other." He leaned down to kiss her neck again, and then further to kiss her chest, just above her heart. It was the best he could do for now, until the ceremony. "Just a few more hours. We can stand a few more hours, right?"

* * *

The sight of his grin eased her tension considerably, and her heart missed a beat as he tucked her hair behind her ear. His gentle touches meant the world to her; his affection was, she knew, what kept her going.

"I agree completely," she said. "I can't wait to have you to myself, when we go home." She trailed her fingertips along his cheek and down his neck. At his kisses, she let out a happy sigh, unable to shake the smile from her lips. "I believe we can. As long as you're with me, I'll be fine."

* * *

Lucius brushed the tears from his cheeks, taking a deep breath. He was nearly sure he was finished crying, and knew he needed to pull himself together.

"We're so close to the finish line." He took her hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles. He just wanted to treat her like the princess she was.

 _Just a few more hours. Just a few more hours. Just a few more hours._

Suddenly a knock at the door caught their attention, and Lucius jumped to his feet, looking to Narcissa in alarm. He caught her eyes for a moment and then hurried to hide in the closet.

Narcissa nearly fell over with the speed at which she stood. Her train wasn't exactly helpful, when it came to quick movements. She nodded to Lucius and then looked to the door.

"Yes?" she called.

The door opened a crack, and Seraphina peeked inside. "It's time, dears." She paused and surveyed the room, and she let out a soft laugh. "It's just me. You can come out. I'll stand guard." She backed up from the door a bit and remained outside.

Narcissa let out a sigh of relief.

Lucius relaxed when he heard Seraphina's voice, and he stepped out of the closet.

"Thank you, Mother," he said, even though he was already dreading leaving Narcissa. It may have only been for a few minutes until he saw her in the ceremony, but he knew it would feel like an eternity. He went to Narcissa and wrapped her tightly in his arms, so careful to preserve her hairstyle and makeup. "You're so beautiful," he whispered. "Just relax. Focus on me. I love you." He kissed her hand again, letting his lips linger on her knuckles.

"Thank you," said Narcissa, smiling. "I will. I love you so much." She smiled at the kiss on her knuckles and gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm looking forward to being able to kiss you properly."

Lucius nodded. "And I you." He kissed her fingers once more before straightening to his full height. "I'll see you out there, Miss Black." He smirked, squeezing her hand once more before stepping out quietly.


End file.
